Family not ready to sell POW's story

PALESTINE, W.Va. -- The movie offers have come in, along with proposals for book deals. Everyone, it seems, wants to cash in on the dramatic rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch.

But the former POW's family, which left Saturday for a U.S. military base in Germany to see her, says it's still too soon.

"The way we've got this pictured, if they are offering movies, if they are offering books, put that on the back burner," said her father, Greg Lynch Sr.

Producers and publishers say the 19-year-old supply clerk's story of being ambushed, captured and then rescued after days in captivity needs to get out fast, because the American public has a short attention span.

Still, it might not be proper to tell her story while bombs are still falling in Iraq and people are dying.

"It's sort of like the Elizabeth Smart story; it's a wonderful thing that parents can get their child back," said Los Angles independent movie producer Michael Jaffe, referring to the return last month of the Utah teenager eight months after she was kidnapped from her bedroom.

"This one has action, heroism, but it also has some problems: You can't make it while the war is still going on, you have to see how this develops, there's not enough detail," Jaffe said.

The Smart family has hired an entertainment attorney to help them evaluate movie and book proposals.

The Lynches have also received "about a million phone calls" with offers, but the family's not interested right now, her father said.

"We're not going to jump into their moneymaking schemes. That's all it is," he said.